1. Field of the Invention
The source code for the NYTBridge (the scanner program and the graphical user interface) as a computer program listing appendix has been submitted on compact disk. The material on the compact disk is hereby incorporated by reference. Two identical compact disks have been submitted. Each compact disk contains two files: 91) bridge.ccp (28,292 bytes); and (2) GUI Source Code.txt (132,648 bytes). The disks were created on Jun. 12 and 14, 2001, respectively.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most companies in the inventory management field require the services of computer programmers familiar with both database and procedural programming languages. The programmers are required to complete a series of complicated steps in order to enable a client company to collect data and update an existing database with the collected data. The programmers must be familiar with the language of the specified database and run queries to access pertinent information in the database. The programmers then have to convert the pertinent information from the database into an ASCII text file or other readable file. The programmers then write a low-level program for a scanning device that incorporates the converted database information. The program must also be capable of creating an output file for collected data. Finally, the programmer must process and transfer the collected data from the scanner into the database. Performing these complex steps is very time intensive, since the programmers are required to essentially develop a custom program for each client company. This customization is required due to the many different database programs, the large number of ways inventory systems can be set up, and the different types of information that can be stored in databases. As a result, inventory management is very expensive due to the costs associated with hiring highly skilled programmers for long periods of time to preform these steps.